Mum’s the word when it comes to asking for advice

15% of those surveyed seek the counsel of friends.

Published:16:00Saturday 11 February 2017

When it comes to life’s big decisions it seems that Mum really does know best as she is the first person most Brits turn to for advice, according to research* from life insurance comparison site Compare Cover.

Going to Mum for guidance is even more likely for UK women, as a quarter (25%) said they go to Mum first, compared to only 16% of men. While only 7% of women said Dad would be their first port of call for guidance, compared to just over one in ten of men (11%).

The research also found that the Welsh are more likely to go to Dad for advice (17%) before their mothers (15%), but East Anglians are opposite, with nearly a quarter (23%) going to Mum for guidance, compared to only 5% going to Dad.

Women are also more likely to go to their mates for advice, with just under a fifth (17%) saying they’d chat to a friend about key decisions, compared to 13% of men.

It seems that nothing can beat the human touch when it comes to advice, as only 4% of those surveyed said they use online forums and as few as 3% use self-help websites to make decisions.

Mike Preston, Business Development Manager at Compare Cover, said: “There is that old saying – “if at first you don’t succeed, do as your mother told you” and it seems for a lot of Brits, we just cut out the failing part and go straight to the source of wisdom – Mum, to get your #lifesorted.

“It’s very interesting that not many people use online forums and guidance. With the prevalence of smart phones and an increasingly digital world, we would have thought that this figure would be considerably higher. It seems that for many, talking a problem or issue through is the best way to get a life issue sorted.”

Mike added: “When you are a couple, many life decisions are made together and are thoroughly discussed before deciding on a certain course of action. One life issue that should be at the top of that list is life insurance.

“Life insurance is designed to protect your family should the worst happen and is one decision that people should consider as soon as they have dependants or financial responsibilities. Taking out life insurance to protect your family doesn’t cost as much you may think. Life protection can be purchased from as little as £5 a month.”